The US government shutdown has disrupted several key government functions. The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced on Saturday that it will not issue food benefits next month due to a lack of funds, Reuters reported.
“Bottom line, the well has run dry,” said a post on the USDA website. “At this time, no benefits will be issued on November 1st.”
According to Reuters, more than 41 million people receive food benefits in the United States. With federal funding halted due to the shutdown, more than 200 Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives called on the agency to use emergency funds to continue the program. But it seems that these emergency funds will not be used.
Food benefit program
The Hill reports that the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) contingency funds are somewhere between $5 billion and $6 billion. However, the amount needed to issue food stamps next month to millions of recipients comes to about $8 million.
In such a scenario, the use of emergency funds would not be fully sufficient, but could help alleviate the hardships of those in need. But on Friday, the USDA announced it would not draw emergency funds if the shutdown continues beyond Oct. 31, The Hill reports.
What the USDA says
The argument put forward by the USDA, as explained in a memo reported via Axios, is that these funds are intended to be used in times of natural disasters. The shutdown doesn’t fall into that category, so using the funds in that scenario would be illegal, the agency says.
However, the USDA’s stance is in contrast to the position it took earlier this year.
“The intent of Congress is clear that SNAP should continue to operate because the program has been provided with multi-year contingency funds that can be used for state administrative expenses to ensure that the state can continue to operate during a federal government shutdown,” said a policy statement issued earlier this year. It has since been deleted, The Hill reports.
This latest development is leading to accusations between Democrats and Republicans over who is responsible for this conundrum. However, there seems to be no end in sight for this congestion.
Frequently asked questions
How many people receive food benefits?
About 41 million people are estimated to receive SNAP assistance.
When will the funds to issue this aid run out?
The money will run out at the end of October.
What is SNAP?
This is the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which provides food stamps to people who cannot afford to buy enough food themselves.
